In a follow-up to a couple of postings last week on junk food (
here and
here), the news article posted by Peter Overby entitled, "
Lobbyists Want Fries And Pizza To Stay In School," is of interest. The Agriculture Department has issued new guidelines for school lunches that call for fewer servings of "starchy foods" per week. So, the potato industry lobby has gone into high gear to overturn the guidelines. Their line, apparently, is that french fries aren't as bad for kids as they used to be. Nutritionists disagree. Not only are they not good for kids in and of themselves, but when given a choice kids usually go for the fries instead of healthier items on the menu.
Yet again, it is the same story. Junk food companies and industries are making their profits at the expense of our children's health. While it is surely true that parents are not doing enough to protect their children's health, parents don't stand in the lunch line at school to guide their kid's meal choices. The Agriculture Department guidelines are a tiny step in the right direction.
